A federal judge in Virginia sentenced Dámaso López Serrano, known as ‘El Mini Lic’, to five years in prison on Wednesday, February 4, for attempting to traffic more than 400 grams of fentanyl. López Serrano violated a prior cooperation agreement with the DEA by re-engaging in criminal activities while under supervision. The case highlights challenges in rehabilitating former cartel members seeking legal redemption.
Dámaso López Serrano, alias ‘El Mini Lic’, son of Dámaso López Núñez ‘El Licenciado’ and former leader of a Sinaloa Cartel faction, now faces a new conviction in the United States. Judge Anthony Trenga of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia imposed a five-year prison sentence on February 4, after determining that López Serrano had violated his status as a cooperating witness with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The process started with his arrest on December 13, 2024, in Virginia, during an FBI undercover operation. Agents posed as buyers interested in three kilos of cocaine, which uncovered his drug trafficking ties. The investigation escalated after an informant tipped off authorities about plans to import fentanyl from Mexico. Prosecutors intercepted calls and gathered testimonies proving the attempt to traffic more than 400 grams of the synthetic substance from his Virginia residence.
In May of the previous year, López Serrano pleaded guilty and signed a new cooperation agreement with U.S. authorities. However, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has referenced extradition attempts related to his case. This sentence revives the criminal trajectory of ‘El Mini Lic’, who founded the ‘Los Antrax’ group in the Sinaloa Cartel and was a key operator.
His rise and fall began in 2017, after the capture of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán. López Serrano and his father clashed with rival factions like Los Chapitos and that of Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada. He was detained that year at the Calexico, California, border crossing and pleaded guilty in January 2018 in a San Diego court for drug trafficking. In 2022, he received a six-year sentence but was released early upon joining the witness protection program. After two years of freedom, he was again linked to criminal activity, leading to this new conviction.
